push the envelope

idiom

: to go beyond the usual or normal limits by doing something new, dangerous, etc.

a director who has pushed the envelope in his recent films

a new airplane design that pushes the envelope

Examples of push the envelope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For her first show in 2018, Minaj aimed to push the envelope. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Dec. 2023

European designers often push the envelope with the familiar. —Elaine Markoutsas, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024

The team wants to really push the envelope in ways that are always earned, but definitely pushing the envelope for us as a [streaming] service. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2023

Beijing — and, to a lesser extent, Washington — might be concerned about Lai’s early advocacy, but he isn’t seen as likely to push the envelope among the elders of the hardcore Taiwan independence movement. —Vic Chiang, Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2024

With such big names championing his brand, Lee shouldn’t be afraid to push the envelope. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023

All that customization adds up to a boot that’s got the guts to push the envelope on the slopes but still feels good. —Douglas Schnitzspahn, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2023

What’s more, traditional makers including Bowhill & Elliott have begun to push the envelope with opera pumps in black suede—or even a red-and-black giraffe print cow hair. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023

But campaigns commonly push the envelope on disclosure rules that are aimed at providing transparency about the source of campaign contributions and how that money is spent. —Rebecca Davis O’Brien, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2023